Congratulations to Marc Goodwin, of Marc’s Garage in Eddy, Texas. His name was drawn randomly from the list of entries received in our May “ASE Question of the Month” contest.
May’s question was centered on your familiarity with your scan tool’s data parameter identifiers, or PIDs. If you missed out on May’s question, here it is for you to try out now.
All of the following statements are true EXCEPT:A. The CALC LOAD PID is a measure of how much work the engine is doing.B. Global OBD II scan tool functions are standardized.
C. Data PIDs in Global OBD II are accurate representations of sensor data.
D. Global OBD II Mode $09 is where you will find the vehicle VIN (as recorded in the ECM) and ECM calibration information.
The correct answer is “A”. The Calculated Load PID is a representation of how well the engine is breathing, or it’s volumetric efficiency. With the throttle wide open, it may be true that the engine is doing a lot of work but the PID is providing you information on how much air the engine is pumping in comparison to what it theoretically SHOULD be able to pump. You can read more on volumetric efficiency elsewhere on the Motor Age site.
Want to enter for your chance to win? Try our June question HERE.
Then be sure to enter your name for the next random drawing HERE.
About the Author
Pete Meier
Former Creative Director, Technical | Vehicle Repair Group
Pete Meier is the former creative director, technical, for the Vehicle Repair Group with Endeavor Business Media. He is an ASE certified Master Technician with over 35 years of practical experience as a technician and educator, covering a wide variety of makes and models. He began writing for Motor Age as a contributor in 2006 and joined the magazine full-time as technical editor in 2010. Pete grew the Motor Age YouTube channel to more than 100,000 subscribers by delivering essential training videos for technicians at all levels.
Connect with Pete on LinkedIn.